Sabrina Mohamed is Director – Global Head of Talent for Soben. Here Sabrina gives an insight into life at Soben, how she got started in the construction industry, and her ambitious goals for the business.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My role is split across all the regions that Soben operates in – EMEA, the US, and APAC, so my days are very varied. I support the recruitment teams in each of our regions in our recruitment activity and onboarding of new talent.
With Soben being such a fast-growing organisation, one of the key projects I’m working on is to streamline our processes across the regions and to ensure that we are sharing best practice. This is all underpinned by implementing systems to ensure that our recruitment process is the same whether or not you are joining us in Singapore, Chicago, or Glasgow.
What first attracted you to the construction industry?
Honestly, I fell into working in construction completely by accident. After graduating with a degree in English, I had started my career in recruitment. I was working for a firm that specialised in recruiting for the engineering sector, and soon I was recruiting Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors. It was a steep learning curve into the construction industry, but one that I have never looked back from.
I do think that there is a lot more that the construction industry and education establishments could do to encourage more girls and women into the sector. At Soben we work with colleges and universities to support this, but there is always more we can do.
What are your predictions for the construction industry over the next 12-18 months?
Like many sectors, there is a huge battle for talent in the construction and engineering industry. There are only so many high quality, experienced Quantity Surveyors or Project Managers available in the current talent pool, so in order to attract them, organisations in construction will need to work hard to showcase what they have to offer as employers in order to attract the best talent.
Working with super high growth clients means that at Soben, we are on the lookout for the best people in the industry. Our recruitment team works hard to ensure we are an employer of choice.
What are your goals for Soben in that time?
I want Soben to take a different approach to recruitment, attracting people at grassroots level or from different sectors into the construction industry. By staying true to our values and our mission, and making our people a priority, I’m confident that we will achieve our goal to reach 1,000 employees by the end of 2030.
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Always be open to learning opportunities and don’t be afraid to try new things. Trust in yourself and in your own approach and style at work. Understand that change is good and that if you work hard, it will always be noticed and lead to opportunities.
How would your colleagues describe you?
I think the first thing they’d say is that I’m extremely chatty! Other than that, I would hope they would describe me as open minded and passionate about what I do, passionate about Soben and the journey we’re on. There’s just so much potential.
To find out more about careers at Soben, contact [email protected]
